Many landowners are all too aware of the damage excess storm water can cause, particularly if their land is not properly equipped with suitable drainage facilities. Storm drains are therefore a vital component of any drainage system, but while these emergency drains are not used regularly (unless you're extremely unlucky), they still need be made of tough, durable materials in order to be fit for purpose.

Corrugated steel pipe is one such material, and building a storm drainage system from this type of piping offers a number of advantages over other types of piping. However, these corrugated pipes also come with a few drawbacks, so make sure that corrugated steel is the right material for your needs before installation begins.

What are the advantages of choosing corrugated steel pipe for storm drains?

• Durability: Storm drains made from corrugated steel pipe can be enormously durable when constructed correctly and have a much greater working lifespan that drains made from cheaper materials, such as PVC piping. Corrugated steel piping also has exceptional load bearing characteristics and will not be easily crushed by vehicles and heavy equipment which may need to pass over subterranean drains.
• Easy installation: A corrugated steel pipe essentially serves as a prefabricated drainage pipe, and requires little to no modification before it is laid in the ground. It's relatively lightweight compared to other drain materials (such as concrete), which makes installing them even easier and minimises the need for bedding aggregates and foundations required by heavier materials.
• Versatility: Corrugated steel pipe is available in a variety of diameters and thicknesses, allowing you to find a pipe strong and capacious enough to drain practically any piece of land.
• Recyclable: These pipes are also a good choice for the environmentally minded, as disused piping can easily be recycled (providing it has not fallen victim to excessive corrosion).

What about the disadvantages?

• Cost: Corrugated steel pipe can be quite expensive to purchase when compared to cheaper piping materials, such as PVC or clay. These costs can be compounded if you choose to protect your piping with rust-proof coatings, although these coatings can often end up paying for themselves by dramatically extending the lifespan of your pipes.
• Corrosion problems: Unless you choose stainless steel (which can be prohibitively expensive when used in extensive storm drainage systems), unprotected corrugated steel pipe will fall victim to rust and corrosion relatively quickly. However, this problem can be sidestepped by having your pipes coated with one of the aforementioned protective coatings. Asphalt, plastic and galvanised coatings are all high effective rust barriers, but they are not invulnerable and will need to be periodically renewed to remain effective.

To learn more about corrugated steel pipes and whether they'd be right for your project, talk to a company like Corrugated Metal Pipe Manufacturing PTY LTD.